by catch » Mon Jun 17, 2013 8:25 am
Jonn Haytham gave one, last swipe of his soap-thick rag across the wet, squirming back, and his face was a little livelier than the face of his neighbor's, Butcher Kym's. After all, he was used to this sort of thing, and poor Kym wasn't, being pressed to midwifery in a way he hadn't had to for his sons and daughter.
"A fine litter," Jonn said, and he pats the back of the pup he held. "Especially this fellow. That's what was wrong, Mister Kym. She just had this bull jammed in there. Happens, sometimes, if the Dog's bigger than the bitch."
Kym looked at him, gloomily, and Jonn knew again that his hobby didn't interest Kym in the least. He was used to it, by now, and throttled his enthusiasm. After all, Kym was a working man, not the eccentric son of a rich family. He saw in terms of gains and losses. But for all his gruffness, he passed his palm over his terrier, his face a concern for her heaving body and closed eyes. No doubt, the birth had been hard, but Kym's nerves had been worked harder.
"They'll all be fine, big things, once they've grown," Jonn said, soothingly, putting the large one in among his fellows, where he immediately began bullying his way to a prime teat. "You'll see."
"They ain't gonna grown," Kym said, and Jonn, gentle-hearted fellow that he was, winced.
Talk in terms he knows.
"Now, be reasonable, Kym," Jonn said, doing his best to be gentle, to stave off the sinking feeling he got looking at the butcher's resolute face. "Think of this day and age. It pays to have a nice, big dog about. Even if you feel secure, I can guarantee that someone will pay top coin for fierce-looking dog. They're half mastiff, looks like -"
"Thank y'for comin'," Kym said, squeezing the finality of that statement in as Jonn stopped to take a breath. He straightened, and stuck his thick hand out, and Jonn had to take it, though he made no effort to hide his frown.
It wasn't lost on Kym. "Look what they done to my little girl," Kym choked, unable to hide his raw emotion, crooking a finger down at the exhausted dog. "She ain' gonna be able t'feed 'em, and me an' mine ain't goin' without just to cover the cost of raisin' those - those monsters. But thank y', Mister Haytham, for comin' down. I woulda lost her without you. Let me get you some -"
"You know I don't charge, Kym," Jonn said, now his turn to cut Kym off. He couldn't look down at the dog and her litter, and so he didn't, giving Kym his handshake, packing his bag, and making his way out.